Separation Anxiety
by laurah2215
Summary: Story 25 in the series- The Concannon's: Present, Past and Future. CJ and Danny attend the Bartlet Library dedication


Title: Separation Anxiety

Series: The Concannon's Present, Past and Future

Author: Laura H

Rating:PG/Teen

Disclaimer:Are we still doing this? I'm a twenty-one year-old student with a bus pass. You'd be better off to sue my dog.

Synopsis: Danny and CJ travel to New Hampshire for the Library Dedication

Author's Notes: 4 stories in like three weeks? Yeah, it must be my holiday break from school.

Story 1: I Loved Her First

Story2- Just Another Day in Paradise

Story 3: My Little Girl

Story 4:Chivalry Isn't Dead

Story 5:He's Just Sensitive

Story 6: The Hardest Conversation Ever

Story 7: Letting Go

Story 8: Getting Good at New Things

Story 9: Where We Need to Be

Story 10: Always Loved By Me You're Gonna Be

Story 11: Endings and Beginnings

Story 12: Proud of the House We Built

Story 13:Starting a Club

Story 14: First Pet

Story 15: Miscommunication

Story 16:The Go-Between

Story 17: The Third and Fourth Wheel

Story 18: You Can Let Go

Story 19: Make the World Go Away

Story 20:Invalid

Story 21-Hands on a Miracle

Story 22- And at the End and the Beginning Was You

Story 23-Reunions

Story 24- The Lord Giveth and the Lord Taketh Away

Story 25-Separation Anxiety

Timeline:Nov 2006- CJ and Danny finally see what they've been missing for

eight years. Story 19- Make the World Go Away

Jan 2007- Story 24- "The Lord Giveth and the Lord Taketh Away".CJ and Danny move to California together. CJ becomes

President of the Hollis Foundation. Danny begins writing Josiah

Bartlet's biography.

July 2007-CJ and Danny get married at the Bartlet farm and conceive

Abigail during their honeymoon in Ireland.

August 2007:Story 13-"Starting a Club"

Sept 2007- Danny starts school to finish his doctorate

Nov 2007-Story 20 "Invalid"

Feb 2008- Abigail is born

March 2009-Patrick is born.

August 2009:Story 25-"Separation Anxiety"

August 2010:Story 23-"Reunions"

January 2011: Story 5-He's Just Sensitive"

Sept 2013:Story 2-"Just Another Day in Paradise"

Nov 2013- February 2014: Story 3- "My Little Girl"

May 2015: Story 14- "First Pet"

June 2020:Story 16-"The Go-Between"

June 2021: Story 4- "Chivalry Isn't Dead"

June 2021: Story 17: "The Third and Fourth Wheels"

Jan 2025:Story 6-"The Hardest Conversation Ever"

March 2025: Story 7- "Letting Go"

June 2029-Story 11 "Endings and Beginnings"

May 2032: Story 1-Abigail's wedding- "I Loved Her First"

July 2032: Story 8- "Getting Good at New Things"

September 2032: Story 9-"Where We Need to Be"

January 2033: Story 10-"Always Loved By Me You're Gonna Be

July 2033: Story 12- "Proud of the House We Built"

September 2033: Story 15-"Miscommunication"

March 2044:-"You Can Let Go"

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"Hey, hon', you got a little…" Danny points to CJ's chest as he unloads the groceries CJ had picked up on her way home from work.

CJ sets the bananas on the kitchen counter and glances down at her blouse to find a small wet patch around her left breast. " Oh, my God. I've been walking around work and the super market like this."

Danny tries to contain his grin but fails miserably. He can't help but smirk, and his wife notices and fixes him with a death glare.

"What? You think my lactation embarrassment is funny? God, Danny." CJ grabs the dish towel and dabs at her shirt. " If I wasn't trying to get your child off my breasts so we could go to this Library dedication thing then I wouldn't be going through this."

"I'm…I'm sorry, honey. You're right. It's nothing to laugh at. Come here." Danny draws her in for a quick hug before they are interrupted by a crying baby upstairs. "I'll get him," Danny tells CJ with a peck on the lips, before dashing out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

CJ sighs in frustration before returning her attention to putting away the groceries. Since she had started back at work part-time two weeks ago, she had been trying to ease the five month old off of nursing. She's currently just breast-feeding at night to give the baby comfort during the night. But she and Danny are supposed to go to New Hampshire in three days so she wants Patty to be completely comfortable with the bottle.

"Look who's here," Danny whispers excitedly to the two babies in both of his arms as he re-enters the kitchen.

CJ's face instantly lights up at the sight of both her freshly rested children in her husband's arms. She throws the last of the groceries into the fridge and lifts Abbey (who is reaching excitedly for her mother) into her arms. "Hello, my darlings. Did you have a good day with Daddy?" CJ sits at the counter and proceeds to smother her eighteen-month old in kisses. Motherhood may have its downfalls and challenges, but she loves coming home in the afternoon and taking her babies into her arms.

"Painted, Mama!" Abbey relays in glee.

CJ's jaw drops and her eyes dilate in a show of excitement for her daughter. "You finger painted? Oh, you're a lucky girl. Did Daddy give you a bath and read to you?"

Abbey nods while playing with CJ's necklace. "Okay, sweetheart. Make room for your baby brother." CJ reaches out to take her son into her other arm and kisses him soundly on the forehead. So far Abbey has adjusted well to her new sibling. She is too young to really possess any feelings of jealously. So long as the baby doesn't get all the attention, Abbey is satisfied knowing that Mommy and Daddy can love her and her baby brother equally. CJ is almost glad she didn't have Patrick a year later or else Abbey might have felt hurt and jealous and begun regressing to secure the attention of her parents.

"Mommy's home," Danny declares with sparkling eyes. Sometimes he's exhausted after caring for two babies all day, but as soon as his wife comes home and they can be a family again, he is reminded that he is the doing the right thing by letting CJ return to her job. They're all very happy with their station in life. After practically two decades of living in bachelor apartments and travelling the globe looking for the best story, Danny enjoys slowing down to domestic life in California. He still gets time to work from home, but the majority of his day is occupied by the children.

"And I'm so glad," CJ responds with a sincere smile. "When does your mother's plane land tomorrow?" Cuddling the kids in her arms, CJ turns to Danny who is pouring them some iced tea from a pitcher in the fridge.

"Three. So I figured I'd leave to pick her up when you got home. That way I don't have to lug the babies and their fifty pounds of accessories with me." Danny reclaims his stool and hands CJ her glass.

"Their stuff outweighs them by like two times," CJ agrees, shifting Abbey so she can better support Patrick. " All right. I'll try to be back by two." Danny's mother is coming to stay with the kids while they travel back East for the weekend. When CJ gave birth to Patrick, Rosalyn Concannon stayed with them in Santa Monica for a month helping with Abigail and Patrick. Since then she had only returned to California once, about eight weeks ago, She would certainly notice a change in the development of both kids.

"You okay?" Danny inquires softly, judging CJ's facial expression to read that she is worried.

"We've never been away from the babies this long," CJ articulates with a self-deprecating frown. She knows she is probably behaving ridiculously, after all Rosalyn Concannon has raised two children almost entirely by herself. But she's also in her seventies and isn't accustom to babies full-time anymore. " I mean, the most we've left Abbey is twenty-four hours. I've never spent a night without Patty."

"It's gonna be okay," Danny tells her soothingly, reaching out to rub her shoulder. "My mom is an expert at this. They'll be all right. Abbey, princess, are you gonna have fun with Nana this weekend?" Danny smiles at the little girl to get her to negate CJ's feelings of apprehension.

"Watch Elmo!" Abbey responds with a toothy grin. She knows that whenever her grandmother visits, she brings her new DVDs of Sesame Street to watch.

Danny raises a brow to as if to say 'I told you so'. "See? They'll be fine."

CJ smiles uncertainly. "Yeah, I know. I'm just gonna miss them like crazy."

Danny lays a hand on CJ's hand and looks deeply into her eyes. "Darling, we can't stay behind. You put your whole life for nine plus years into serving that man and his administration. You were his longest serving senior adviser. You're not gonna miss this library dedication. You deserve this opportunity."

"I know. But Patrick's…"CJ begins to protests.

"Gonna be fine," Danny interrupts with a firm nod. " We'll have both our cell phones on and my mother will have all the emergency numbers she'll need. At this point I'm more worried about your separation anxiety than that of the children."

CJ's lips turn into a half smile. "Okay, fine. But just so you know, you'll need to keep up this whole loving, supportive husband thing all weekend if I'm gonna get through it."

Danny grins at his wife, absolutely in love with her. They are both incredibly protective and loving parents, and he wouldn't have it any other way. " I can do that. I've had a lot of practice."

"Some of the other guys who don't have two children under two might make fun of you," CJ states pointedly with a tiny smirk.

"I can take it," Danny assures her with a laugh. " This is gonna be good. This will be good for everyone."

Inhaling sharply, CJ gives her head a shaky bob. "I hope so."

* * *

"CJ?" Danny slides their luggage into the rental car at the airport and notices CJ has already turned on her cell phone and pressed the speed dial to connect her to their house line. "Are you calling already?"

CJ waves him off as she slips into the passenger seat. " Hi, Rosalyn. I was just calling to see how it was going."

Danny gives his head a shake while smirking as he lowers himself into the driver's seat and eaves drop on CJ's end of the conversation.

"Yeah, Abbey can have apple juice with her snack but please don't give her any around dinner time or she'll fill up on that and not eat her food....Right, she can have milk with dinner. Oh, and I think I forgot to tell you that Patty can't sleep without his pacifier... Yes, I know you love the kids and are fully capable…I know, Rosalyn. I'm just worried…Yes, I'll stop worrying and have a good trip…Yeah, of course. I'll call to check in tonight…Thank you again…We will. Bye now." CJ ends the call and leans back into her seat with a sigh.

"Did she tell you to bugger off?" Danny asks with a knowing smile. He has perfect confidence in his mother's ability to watch the children. Although he still misses the children, he isn't as worried as CJ is.

CJ rolls her eyes. " Basically. She said for us to relax and have a good time. The kids are behaving wonderfully and she's totally fine."

"See? Doesn't that make you feel better?" Danny steers them out of the airport on their way to Manchester.

"No," CJ blubbers with a pout.

"Why not?" Danny asks in confusion.

"Because then it means they don't need us. If they can get along perfectly with just any adult then we're not really good parents. Maybe they don't love me." CJ's lips tremble and she tries to fight off the hormones. She'll be grateful to be through with breast-feeding.

Danny reaches to squeeze CJ's hand. "First of all, my mother isn't any old adult. She's their grandmother, they know her very well and she's exceptionally qualified to look after them. And second, we're great parents and those kids adore you. Look how excited they get when you come home from work every day. We're not that easily replaced, but it is a good thing that other people can babysit. It's good for us to have a few days without them every once in a while. If this weekend turns out well then maybe you and I can take a vacation occasionally."

CJ forces a nod and attempts to compose herself. She doesn't want her former colleagues to see her as an over-attached, protective mother who can't leave her children for more than a few hours. She wants them to know that while motherhood has completely changed her life priorities, she is still CJ Cregg and she's capable of multi-tasking. She wants to show them that she can be a mother and still have a demanding, worth-while career.

* *

"We had doubts you'd make it," Abbey Bartlet teases in jest as way of greeting CJ and Danny as they step out of the parked car. She knows it was difficult for the two parents to board the plane and leave their children for the weekend,

CJ runs quickly to give the older woman a warm hug. She hadn't seen Abbey Bartlet in nearly three months, since the last time she and the former President had visited them in California.

"I practically had to shove CJ in my luggage to get her away from the babies," Danny informs the other woman with his signature smirk.

"Well I'm glad you decided to come," Abbey declares, kissing CJ's cheek and then turning to Danny to repeat the gesture. "How are the kids? Parenthood treating you well?" Abbey leads the newest guests across the parking lot and toward the expansive lawn around the library.

"We're up half the night and smell like baby powder most of the time," Danny relays with a smile that betrays his feigned annoyance.

"I spend ninety percent of my time worrying about them," CJ admits honestly with a coy smile.

"That sounds just about right," Abbey responds with a satisfied smile. " Jed's just getting ready but a few from the old gang are taking a little tour of the library. Would you like to go inside now?"

"Absolutely," CJ replies, following the hostess.

"If you'd like I can wait out here for the ceremony," Danny offers in a questioning tone as they approach the giant steps to the front door of the building.

Abbey stares quizzically and pauses before the door.

CJ looks at her husband with a confused expression. "No, you're coming in with me."

Exhaling deeply, Danny's lips twitch in an uncertain expression. " Yeah, but I wasn't a part of the Bartlet administration. In fact, I spent most of the duration questioning and critically analyzing that administration. It might be weird for the former senior staff."

"Don't be ridiculous, Danny," Abbey directs with a flippant wave of her hand. "You were a great ally, a fair-minded critic and the President's pet reporter. You're my husband's biographer now and married to his most trusted advisor. You're not getting out of this production that easily. I see Kate driving up so I'll be right back." Abbey pats Danny's arm as she retraces her steps back to the parking lot.

"What was that about?" CJ asks with a pointed brow raise.

"I'm an outsider, CJ. I'm just not sure if the rest of those guys want me in there. I don't know if it's appropriate." Danny licks his lips nervously.

CJ's face softens in sympathy for her husband. She takes his hand and offers a sound squeeze. " You were never an outsider, Danny. You knew Leo and Josh long before the first campaign, you and Annabeth crossed paths a few times. You had the utmost respect for the work we were trying to do and we all understood and appreciated the role you, and journalism in general, had in keeping democracy honest. Nobody in there harbours any bad will against you."

"Except Toby," Danny points out sincerely. It had always been tense between him and CJ's former best friend. They had interacted cordially in the instances where they were forced to converse. Toby had visited their Santa Monica home a handful of times, CJ had visited him in New York when business sent her there, and she and Danny had even stayed with Toby one weekend in New York when Danny was meeting with his editor and publisher. But to say that the two men were best buddies would be drastically exaggerating. It had taken almost a year for CJ to fully come around to befriending Toby again. She had felt angered and betrayed by Toby's stunning lack of loyalty, even if she did applaud the spirit behind Toby's untimely leak of classified information. It was nearly nine months after she left office that CJ felt comfortable enough to invite him to take a peek at her new life in California. Aside from the phone calls and CJ's wedding, she and Toby hadn't talked much in those initial months. But something about being pregnant and wanting to reconnect to her past led her to invite Toby to step into her bright future. When Toby did arrive, he was shocked to find her glowing in expected motherhood and adjusting famously to the new lifestyle she had created for herself. He had offered heartfelt congratulations and best wishes and promised to be involved in the baby's life in whatever capacity CJ desired. They had found a way to reconnect and CJ found a way to forgive old abandonment resentment and jump start a new friendship. Now they converse frequently and Danny and Toby had discovered a way to tolerate each other for the sake of the woman they both care about that they have in common. Toby had made frequent visits to CJ and the children and even managed to tell Danny how grateful he was that Danny was able to make CJ happy in the ways he never could. After that, Danny had begun to trust the other man with the person he loves the most in this world. Since then, CJ had spent weekends in New York alone with Toby (although none since before Patty was born) and Toby was welcomed into their home whenever CJ wanted. However, despite the progress made, Danny and Toby would never become dear friends.

With a sigh, CJ shakes her head. " Danny, Toby likes you now. He likes that we're together and appreciates that you're so good to me and the kids. I thought we've been over this…"

Danny shakes his head and whispers lowly. "No, not now. I mean, back in the White House days. He hated that you were friendly to me. He hated that we had something going on. He discouraged you from pursuing me, and that caused me eight years of painful waiting."

"Danny, he didn't want me to be friendly with you because he thought it would compromise my professional integrity and cause me to give you sensitive information about the President we were working for. And even if he hadn't asked me to resist your advances, I still wouldn't have been with you then. We've talked about this. It wasn't the time and it wouldn't have worked while we were in those jobs. Somehow, we would have ended up resenting each other now if we had have sacrificed our careers. This, what we have now, is the only way it was going to work." She runs her hands up and down the arms of Danny's suit jacket.

"I know," Danny tells her with a head bob. " I understand that. Don't worry about it. I guess if you want me in there, then that's the only thing that matters to me."

CJ smiles warmly and pulls Danny into the library foyer. "Thank you. I do want you in there. You're my husband and the father of my beautiful children. You're not here as Daniel Concannon, former senior reporter for the Washington Post; you're here as Mr. CJ Cregg. And your job right now is to let me show you off proudly to my old colleagues and keep me from harassing your mother because I'm worried about our babies. "

Danny rediscovers his laugh as he permits CJ to walk him through the immaculate, shiny floors of the building. "Okay, but can you not refer me to as Mr. CJ Cregg in front of all those people?" Danny doesn't feel emasculated by his wife's success, but he also doesn't need CJ to tell everyone how they balance the power dimensions of their marriage.

"Of course," CJ chuckles in return.

"Oh, and that thing Abbey said earlier about being the President's pet reporter? That's not true, is it?" Danny puts his hand on the small of CJ's back as they make their way to the staff gathering.

"Well, the President did like you. But I don't think he showed you blatant favouritism," CJ responds with a toothy smile.

"Good, 'cause I didn't want to be the kid in the class who always raised his hand that the other kids hated because the teacher always called on him," Danny expresses with reservation.

"Danny, you're talking about an administration full of hand-raising nerds. We were all those kids," CJ assures him with a laugh.

* *

"Donna!" CJ tracks down the tall blonde at the reception at the Bartlet farm later that evening.

Donna spins around, revealing her shorter, less glamorous but equally nice hair-cut. Donna is her normal, neatly put-together self, but it is obvious motherhood has changed her. The pregnancy pounds have mostly melted off after chasing around her eighteen month-old, but she isn't quite as young and fresh looking as she was three years ago. "Hi, CJ."

"I haven't had a chance to see you yet today. How've you been?" CJ smiles easily and smoothes the wrinkle in her knee-length green dress. Even though she's lost most of the pregnancy weight from Patrick, she's still carrying around a few extra pounds that make her self-conscious in dress clothes.

"Great. Keeping busy between running the First Lady's office and looking after the tireless baby," Donna replies, offering CJ a warm hug.

"Noah's a lot of work?" CJ guesses, knowing how much energy her own daughter has.

"No, I was talking about Josh," Donna deadpans with a grin. "But Noah's doing wonderfully. I can't believe his vocabulary already. He's running around and completely engaged with the world now. How are Abigail and Patrick?"

CJ frowns as she and Donna walk toward a couch in the small den. "I wouldn't know because I'm here."

"Separation anxiety?" Donna guesses, recognizing the look of a worried mother. She's experiencing the same thing since she and Josh left their boy with the nanny in Washington.

CJ shrugs bashfully. "Is it pathetic that my life has become wrapped up in my children?"

Donna shakes her head certainly. " I'm only at the office five hours a day because I want to relieve the nanny and spend more time with my son. But I do have to admit that if I didn't have my job, if I was staying at home with Noah while Josh was the sole bread-winner, I wouldn't be satisfied. I need this part of my life too. I totally respect women and men who choose to stay home with their kids, but it's just not for me."

CJ takes a seat next to Donna on the couch. "Yeah, that's exactly how I feel. I love having the best of both worlds. I'm just having a hard time leaving the kids for four days. Patty's never spent a night without me before. I keep calling Danny's mother and checking in."

"The first time Josh went out of town with the President after Noah was born he called me every hour to make sure we were okay. What you're going through is perfectly normal," Donna assures her friend with an encouraging nod.

"So, enough about me. How's things going in the East Wing?" CJ settles in and enjoys the opportunity for peace. Most of the rest of the guests are out on the back patio or in the surrounding rooms.

"Good. The First Lady is working with UNICEF and the UNDP to get health care to children in developing countries. Some of the AIDS funding is causing controversy with the religious right, but we're getting some pretty supportive press." Donna takes a sip of the wine from the glass in her hand.

"That's great, Donna. Well if your boss is looking to put her name behind a worthwhile cause, tell her we'd love to have her as an ambassador," CJ tells her with a nonchalant smile.

"How are your projects with the Hollis Foundation going?" Donna inquires, thoroughly interested.

CJ settles in to regal Donna with details of her work. "Great. We've made significant progress paving Senegal, Malawi and Tanzania. We're working to get into some more conflict-ridden areas like Zimbabwe or Sudan that are badly in need of infrastructure, but the political tension and upheaval on the ground make it too difficult for our staff, which is why we can only really work in already stable areas. I'm supposed to go and do a two-week tour of our local project sites and check in with the local staff. I haven't been to the continent since Abbey was six months-old, so I'm due for a visit. Now that I'm almost through nursing Patty, I'll be able to take the long over-due trip."

"Well that sounds good, CJ. Will Danny go with you?" Donna asks.

CJ frowns after taking a sip of wine. "Well, I'd love him to come along, but I'll need to be there two weeks and both of us can't be away from the kids that long. They might be fine for a weekend with Rosalyn, but two weeks is just too long." CJ tries to imagine being without her babies for two weeks and cringes at the thought. The only source of comfort she'll have on her trip will be knowing the only more qualified parent than her, her doting husband, will be caring for the children.

"That's rough," Donna articulates sympathetically. "And I'm sure Abbey's just getting at that age like Noah where they begin to notice how long their parents are away."

CJ's gaze averts to the ground and tries to get the image of her baby girl crying for her right at that moment out of her head. She aches thinking that her daughter is suffering, but a part of her hopes that Abbey misses her and Danny a little.

* *

"So you got any pictures of your off-spring with you?" Josh grins to his friend as he hands him a beer.

"What makes you think I carry around pictures of my children? I'm not that kinda guy, Josh. I do, however, happen to have some nice head shots of my multiple Pulitzers here on my phone if you'd like to see." Danny jokes back easily, whipping his phone out of his back pocket and bringing up a photo of CJ holding the two babies a week ago.

Josh laughs heartily. "That was some fine work there, my pal."

Danny smirks with a small shrug. "Nah, I didn't do much. I just brought the ice chips and let CJ break my hand in six parts during the delivery."

"Oh, I thought we were talking about the Pulitzers," Josh jests. He retrieves his Blackberry and finds a picture of Noah sitting on his knee to show Danny. "Here's a picture of the Camp David peace accord summit-my proudest accomplishment of the last three years."

"The President certainly looks younger. I didn't know he was still attached to his teddy bear.`` Danny smiles down at the obviously healthy-looking toddler sitting proudly on his father`s lap.

``Yeah, and he still takes naps in the Oval Office with his blankie," Josh tosses back with a grin.

"But seriously, Noah looks great. I can`t believe how much he's grown. He's like a spitting image of you." Danny walks them over to a table on the back patio.

Josh pockets his phone and takes a swig of his beer. "Yeah, that drives Donna crazy. She kinda finds it hard to be stern with him when he smiles my signature smirk."

Danny smiles toothily and gazes over the expansive farmland. " I know what she means. Abigail's got CJ's eyes and when she pouts I'm a complete goner. I'm scared of what will happen when she learns to harness that power for evil ends. Pretty soon she'll be asking to get a pony and then her naval pierced and the keys to the car and to stay out past curfew with her boyfriend." Danny gives his head a shake, too worried to look too far into the future. He knows he's got to learn to toughen up when it comes to his daughter.

Josh grows solemn in deep thought. "Scary isn't it? Thinking about what our kids are gonna be like when they grow up. Noah's already talking and learning numbers and letters. It seems like I blink and he's grown an inch. I miss so much when I'm working long hours at the office. I'm afraid before I know it he'll be starting school and learning to drive and graduating college. Do you ever feel like you're just gonna wake up one day and have missed everything?"

Danny shrugs and lifts his bottle to his lips. "I guess all we can do is be there as much as possible. We've still got many years of fatherhood ahead. I've given up a lot of work to stay home with the kids, but I don't usually miss my old lifestyle. Now I get to play with my babies during the day and work on my writing during the afternoon or evening when CJ is home with the kids. Then CJ and I put the kids to bed and curl up on the couch for a couple hours before bed. Then every morning I bring the children into bed and we all cuddle together before the day begins. It's just perfect. I wouldn't change it for the world. It's been crazy these last few months since Patty was born, but somehow it's all just incredible."

Josh smiles knowingly. " I wish Donna and I had a routine like that. Mostly I'm up at six to go to work and don't get home until well into the evening. I try to have dinner with Donna and Noah and put him to bed, but it doesn't happen every day. I'd like to have some of that peace and predictability."

Danny nods in understanding the other man's frustration. " You'll figure it out. Most parents that try to balance a full-time career and child rearing inevitably feel guilty and like they're not devoting enough time to either part of their life. CJ's been reading up and seeking some advice from other working mothers about balancing her priorities. After Abbey was born she was feeling inadequate about her job and spending enough time with Abbey, so she sought some help to cope with it all. Now she's doing much better and I just reassure her that we're all doing the right thing. I'm sure you and Donna do a great job at work and at home."

Josh frowns and begins to walk toward the door when he spots President Santos and President Bartlet in a good-natured argument about free trade. "I better go play moderator."

Danny smiles with a small laugh. "I'll catch you later. I'm gonna go check in with the Mrs." Danny swerves around the clashing of great minds to slip back into the house and search out CJ.

Danny finds CJ in the kitchen munching on crackers and sporting an enormous grin. "What are you doing?"

"Grabbing another drink," CJ replies with a perma-smile.

"Why so happy?" Danny inquires, taking CJ's martini and helping himself to a sip.

"I just talked to your mother and Abbey was crying for us for a half an hour before she finally succumbed to sleep." CJ pops the olive from the martini glass into her mouth.

"And you're happy about that? I'm surprised, darling. I thought you wanted the kids to get along well without us." Danny hands the drink back to his wife with a confused brow rise.

"I do. And I'm glad that they're doing great for the most part. But it made me feel good to know that they still need us. It's flattering that Abbey was crying a bit for us today. "CJ feels vindicated that she and Danny are doing a good job raising their children. Abbey and Patty are behaving the way that normal babies do when they feel secure in their parent's love- they can make do with a babysitter, but are also a little sad when their parents aren't home.

Danny smiles warmly and wraps an arm around his wife to draw her into an embrace. "I'm just glad that you're feeling better about it all. It's perfectly normal for us to miss them and for them to miss us. But it's also nice to have a little vacation now and then. Do you realize we don't have to change a diaper for over seventy-two hours?"

CJ laughs out loud. "No diapers, huh? I wonder what will we do all night."

"Oh, I have a few ideas," Danny informs her playfully, steering her out of the kitchen and into the Bartlet's main sitting area. "But now, Charlie wants to pin you down for ten minutes to discuss some ideas he has for the Library. I guess he wants your perspective."

"Okay, sounds good. And hey, are you getting along with everyone all right?" CJ lays a hand on Danny's chest as he lightly guides her with his arm around the small of her back. She was worried after Danny expressed his apprehension about attending the ceremony that he would have a hard time conversing with some of the members of the old administration.

Danny nods evenly. "Yeah, I'm doing great. Will told me all about Oregon local politics, Kate asked my opinion on her new book, Josh and I discussed the kids. I even spoke to Toby for a few minutes. He's got some new pictures of the twins for our 'wall of shame' back home."

CJ smiles openly. "Ah, my man-the chameleon. He can fit in where ever he goes."

"You bet your life," Danny responds positively with a short laugh.

"Hi, CJ," Ellie Bartlet calls as CJ and Danny enter the sitting room to a crowd of half a dozen.

"Hey, Ellie. I saw the baby. He's growing like a weed. You must be so proud." CJ offers the other woman a quick hug.

Ellie smiles naturally. " We are. And Mom says your kids are doing beautifully."

"It's a new challenge every day, possibly harder than anything I faced as Chief of Staff. But somehow it's the best accomplishment of my life. Abigail and Patrick are our world," CJ responds with warmth radiating from her small smile.

"Yes, that sounds just right," Ellie repeats her mother's words and CJ understands that her assessment of her own motherhood is very similar to the way a lot of other women here feel.

* * *

"Guess who?" Danny calls cheerfully into the front foyer of his Santa Monica house early Sunday evening.

CJ pushes past Danny through the hallway and smiles instantly when she sees Abbey running to greet them and Rosalyn walking in from the den with Patty in her arms.

"Mama! Daddy!" Abbey propels herself into CJ's arms as Danny drags the suitcases through the door behind him.

CJ squeezes her baby girl soundly and smothers her cheeks in kisses.

"Welcome home," Rosalyn greets with a warm smile, handing Patrick to CJ as Danny scoops his little girl into his arms prior to hugging and kissing her.

"Oh, it's good to be back," CJ declares, her attention on kissing her little boy's forehead. " Was everything okay?"

"Did you have a good time with Nana?" Danny asks Abbey as she wraps her little arms around his neck and hangs on tightly.

"We were great," Rosalyn informs them easily. "I've got some leftovers in the fridge in case you didn't like the plane food."

The group files into the kitchen behind Rosalyn's lead. Danny sets Abbey on the ground and reaches to CJ to bring Patty into his arms.

"Were you a good girl for Nana?" CJ inquires of her toddler, pulling her up to sit in her lap on a stool at the island counter.

"She was wonderful. Aside from missing her parents a little, we had no problems," Rosalyn goes to the fridge to get the open bottle of wine and pour her son and daughter-in-law a drink. She knows CJ hates flying commercial.

"That's good to hear because we brought you back a souvenir and lots of presents from your extended family," Danny relays to his daughter with a grin.

"How was the dedication?" Rosalyn asks, setting a wine glass in front of CJ and Danny sitting at the counter.

"Great. It was nice to see everyone again. I forget how much I miss them when I'm so busy with work and the kids," CJ responds before lifting her glass to her lips.

"Does it make you nostalgic for your previous lifestyle?" Rosalyn wonders aloud. She is a pretty simple but sharp woman and never really understood her son's desire to cover national politics. When Danny had told her about CJ and that he was abandoning everything to move to California with her and start a brand new life, she was more than sceptical. She had had doubts about this career woman who had beat her son around for eight years while he waited patiently, pining away for her attention. She was worried that CJ Cregg wouldn't make the loving, affectionate and supportive wife her son deserved. She was worried CJ would up and leave Danny if her career took her somewhere else, and then all of her son's love for the other woman would have been for naught. But after meeting CJ and visiting the home they had created for themselves, Rosalyn had realized that the other woman truly loved her son and had no intention of fleeing when times got tough or she got bored. She was still learning how to share her life with a man and balance the power relations of a marriage, but CJ was committed to making it work. And, of course, after CJ gave her two beautiful grandchildren, Rosalyn certainly couldn't hold any ill will toward her.

CJ has to consider the question for a moment. " It was nice to discuss Kazakhstan with Kate and go over ear-marking and discretionary spending with Josh. I loved being right in the thick of things again; the debating, the thinking. But none of us are the same people we were a decade ago. Yes, we still want to serve our country, but we've also got other priorities. All in all, I'm much happier now with what I have here than I was in Washington."

Danny has to smile at that. It feels good to know that CJ would prefer him and the children over her prior roles. He was ,admittedly, a little nervous that after spending a weekend with the politicos ,CJ might get a desire to re-enter that arena. But, after seeing how much she enjoyed the weekend but didn't want to immerse herself completely into that world, Danny feels secure that CJ is thoroughly satisfied with the life they lead presently. And truth be told, so is he. Neither of them harbour any separation anxiety with their former lives.


End file.
